^6^ Some remarkable Vulgar Prejudices 



approach, and scorned the benefits of civilisation. The little 

 yellowhammer, on the contrary, flies not from our presence; 

 it rather seeks it; it is the companion of our walks, and flits 

 from branch to branch beside us ; it is generally to be seen in 

 the hedges by the roadside, and I think is not often to be 

 met with in retired fields, at least, I have never observed it in 

 such situations. With these habits, it might be reasonably 

 expected to be a favourite bird with the generality of people ; 

 but, unfortunately, it is quite the contrary, and I cannot dis- 

 cover any reason for so foolish a prejudice. [Mr. Barker 

 has, since writing the preceding, sent us the following: — Ac- 

 cording to Mudie's British Naturalist, the reason why the 

 peasantry dislike the Emberiza Citrinella is on account of three 

 drops of the devil's blood which they suppose it receives on 

 the morning of May-day. I can only say that I have never 

 met with any traces of this folly in Yorkshire. — March 22. 

 1833.] 



The Catbird of America (Turdus lividus) may be adduced 

 as another instance of the folly of prejudice. This species is 

 very -common and numerous in Pennsylvania. " In spring 

 or summer," says Wilson, the self-taught and elegant historian 

 of the birds of America, " the first salutation you receive, on 

 approaching thickets of bramble, is from the catbird ; and a 

 stranger, unacquainted with its note, would instantly conclude 

 that some vagrant orphan kitten had got bewildered amongst 

 the briers, and wanted assistance ; so exactly does the call of 

 the bird resemble the note of that animal. W^ith every amiable 

 quality to recommend him, ^evr people in the country respect 

 itjie catbird : on the contrary, it is generally the object of dis- 

 like; and the boys of the United States entertain the same 

 prejudice and contempt for this bird, its nest and young, as 

 those of Britain do for the yellowhammer, and its nest, eggs, 

 and young. I am at a loss to account for this cruel prejudice. 

 Even those by whom it is entertained can scarcely tell you 

 why, only they ' hate catbirds,' as some persons tell you 

 they hate Frenchmen, &c. ; expressions that bespeak their 

 own narrowness of understanding and want of liberality. Yet, 

 after ruminating over in my own mind all the probable causes, 

 I think I have at last hit on some of them ; the principal of 

 which seems to me to be a certain similarity of taste, and 

 clashing of interest, between the catbird and the farmer. The 

 catbird is fond of large ripe garden strawberries ; so is the 

 farmer, for the good price they bring in the market. The 

 catbird loves the best and richest early cherries ; so does the 

 fermerj for they are sometimes the most profitable of his 



